BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) is proud to announce Community Connections Day, presented by Community Bank, a free, family-friendly event designed to connect residents with vital health resources, wellness programming, and community services—all in one place.
Taking place on Saturday, March 28, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the UB Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Community Connections Day invites neighbors from across Buffalo to learn, taste, and connect through a dynamic lineup of interactive experiences.
Attendees will enjoy:
Mini workshops on health and lifestyle topics
Interactive conversations with local experts and organizations
Healthy food samples and nutrition demonstrations
On-site enrollment in community programs and services
Opportunities to explore healthcare and wellness resources available locally
“This event reflects BNMC’s commitment to building a healthier, more connected community,” said Beth Machnica, Director of Health and Well-Being. “Community Connections Day is about breaking down barriers—making it easier for individuals and families to access the resources they need to live well.”
Open to the public and free of charge, the event aims to create an inclusive and welcoming environment where community members can engage directly with organizations, providers, and programs that support overall well-being. Lunch will be provided, and registration is encouraged but not required.
Community Connections Day is part of BNMC’s broader mission to foster a vibrant, collaborative ecosystem that advances health, innovation, and opportunity for all residents of Western New York.
Event Details
What: BNMC Community Connections Day When: Saturday, March 28, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Where: UB Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 955 Main Street Cost: Free and open to the public
About Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus
BNMC brings people together to create positive social and economic impact within our community. We manage the premier innovation district and economic engine of WNY, the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, and are building an innovation ecosystem that focuses on breaking down barriers to a higher quality of life for all in our region. Today, we manage a 120+ acre urban innovation district that is home to over 200 public and private companies with over 16,000 employees, which brings 1.5 million patients and visitors annually to our Buffalo district. www.bnmc.org.
The BNMC Transportation team hosted an NFTA 101 Lunch and Learn session at Canisius University to present the wide array of transportation options offered by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority to students and the wider community.
Thank you to our knowledgeable presenters from the Center for Self Advocacy! Check out everything you need to know to get started taking the train or bus. Explore your options for paying fare to figuring out your route, and what to do when you get to your stop.
Thank you to all who joined us on October 23, 24, and 25 for our largest and most impactful symposium to date. Over 250 attendees from 6 countries joined our conference, powering three high-energy days. Here are some of our key takeaways from our expert speakers and panelists:
“It was inspiring to see such strong alignment across sectors from policy to payers, all recognizing that food is more than fuel; it’s fundamental to health outcomes and cost reduction.”
Soil Health = Human Health.
Speakers linked soil biodiversity and nutrient density to chronic disease prevention.
Case studies showed how healthy soils improve crop quality, which translates to better clinical outcomes.
Action step: partner with farms tracking soil organic matter and regenerative metrics in procurement.
Local and Regenerative Agriculture Took Center Stage
Procurement models spotlighted shorter supply chains, fair pricing, and community wealth-building.
Programs demonstrated how hospitals, community organizations, medically tailored meal providers, and employers can source regeneratively grown produce at scale.
Blue Zones Lifestyle for Longevity
Sessions distilled longevity habits: plant-forward meals, daily movement, social connection, stress relief, and purpose.
Attendees left with “default to lifestyle first” workflows for primary care and employee wellness.
Women’s Health Across the Lifespan
We took deep dives into nutrition and micronutrient needs across life stages – fertility, pregnancy, and menopause.
Practical protocols covered protein + fiber targets, sleep & stress prescriptions, and clinician–RD referral pathways.
Equity lens: culturally rooted culinary medicine and dignity-first program design.
Nutrition for Sports Performance featured diverse perspectives from the NFL, the Army, and Women Athletes
Clinical Adoption and Continuing Medical Education
Clinicians received accredited education to integrate nutrition, lifestyle prescriptions, and RD referrals into standard care.
“Exciting to learn about what others are doing to improve health outcomes!”
“Events like these are a great way to share bridges between healthcare, nutrition, and technology to make Food as Medicine accessible, measurable, and meaningful.”
BNMC is proud to be a partner in Clean Mobility Buffalo. This morning, the initiative was launched at a press event. Read on for the full news release and more information on this transformative program.
‘Clean Commute’ Program Launches in Buffalo Viridi is the first East Side employer to offer incentives and support for employees who travel by public transit, walk, carpool, or bicycle to work
Buffalo, NY — June 25, 2025 — Clean Mobility Buffalo, an alliance of organizations and neighborhood leaders advancing transportation solutions through projects that connect people and places, today launched its Clean Commute program, for East Side employers to incentivize and support employees who travel by public transit, walk, carpool, or bicycle to work, with a ribbon-cutting at Viridi on E. Delavan Avenue.
“We’re excited to provide extensive Clean Commute resources and amenities that make it easier for employees and residents to get to work, school, and other destinations,” said Kim LaVare, project manager for Clean Mobility Buffalo. “We’re breaking down transportation barriers that impact job retention and new employment opportunities, reducing pollution, and supporting the health and wellbeing of the neighborhoods surrounding local businesses.”
The Clean Commute program provides transportation benefits and builds awareness about transportation options for employees commuting to companies, universities, hospitals, and other organizations on Buffalo’s East Side.
Energy technology company Viridi is the first to launch Clean Commute for its employees, with program introductions also planned for Canisius University; Erie County Medical Center; Harmac Medical Products, Inc.; Kaleida Health; and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
“At Viridi, we believe clean energy should be accessible not just in the grid, but in everyday life. Being the first to launch the Clean Commute program reflects our deep commitment to our employees and to our East Side community. This initiative supports our vision for a more resilient, cost effective, equitable, and connected Buffalo,” said Jon M. Williams, Chairman & CEO, Viridi.
“Our mission is to connect people to meaningful careers—and that includes removing barriers that stand in their way. Transportation is one of the biggest challenges our workforce faces. Clean Commute helps ensure our people can get to work reliably, safely, and sustainably, opening doors to long-term employment and community stability,” said Jeff Conrad, Executive Director, GreenForce.
Clean Mobility Buffalo’s Clean Commute program includes:
Commuter Information Centers
On-site transit and biking amenities (transit schedule screens, bike racks, etc.)
Free or reduced-rate transit passes
Carpool matching platform and incentives
Free ride home in the event of a personal emergency
Access to bikes through Reddy Bikeshare memberships, e-bike raffles, e-bike library, and microloans for employees to purchase a bike or scooter and pay back from their paycheck over time
Free bike and pedestrian safety gear including helmets and locks for employees and community members
Rewards for biking or walking to work
Mobile repair events for bike maintenance
Commuter education including Bike to Work 101 and Bike Safety lunch and learns
Pedestrian and bicyclist infrastructure improvements including on-site crosswalks and lighting
Complete Streets focus group for employee input on infrastructure investments
Advocacy for improved transit services
Flexibility in shift schedules to coordinate with transit
GO Buffalo Niagara (transportation management association) membership to continue momentum of building active and sustainable commuter culture
Clean Mobility Buffalo partners the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) and GO Buffalo Niagara are actively working with local institutions to implement Clean Commute by developing commuter policies and programs.
“We’re grateful to NYSERDA and our participating anchor companies for their efforts to connect people to clean and affordable transportation options. Transportation has a big impact on access to jobs and on overall quality of life, and the more we all work together to create reliable options, the stronger and healthier our neighborhoods will be,” said Jamie Hamann-Burney, Chief Strategy Officer, BNMC.
“GO Buffalo Niagara is thrilled to celebrate these partnerships with East Side anchor institutions who are leading the way in innovative employee transportation benefit programs. Together, we are advancing efforts that not only improve mobility and reduce environmental impact but also create healthier, more connected neighborhoods. We aim to inspire other employers to invest in sustainable, accessible transportation options and look forward to replicating these initiatives across Western New York as we continue working toward a cleaner, healthier, and more equitable future,” said Christine Krolewicz, Program Manager, GO Buffalo Niagara.
Clean Mobility of Buffalo is supported by a $10 million award from NYSERDA’s New York Clean Transportation Prizes program to implement efficient, affordable, and accessible transportation solutions across Buffalo’s East Side.
ABOUT CLEAN MOBILITY BUFFALO
Funded by New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) under the New York Clean Transportation Prizes program, Clean Mobility Buffalo is an alliance organized by LISC NY, Clementine Gold Group and Heart of the City Neighborhoods—and activated in East Side neighborhoods by project partners including Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Coalition for Economic Justice, East Side Bike Club, GObike, and Reddy Bikeshare. Together as partners—working with and for the community—these dynamic organizations are championing a shared vision for a cleaner, healthier, and more connected East Side, identifying current transportation challenges and introducing innovative, environmentally friendly, and health-conscious alternatives for all. Learn more.
ABOUT BNMC
BNMC creates positive social and economic impact within our community and the premier innovation district and economic engine of WNY, the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. The BNMC breaks down barriers to a higher quality of life for the region, spearheads new models around sustainable energy, environments, and transportation options, and manages a 120+ acre urban innovation district that is home to over 200 public and private companies with over 16,000 employees and 1.5 million patients and visitors annually. Learn more.
ABOUT GO BUFFALO NIAGARA
GO Buffalo Niagara is the transportation management association for Western New York, promoting active and sustainable options for commuters. We help organizations and individuals reach their health, financial, and environmental goals with tools and resources to reduce our community’s reliance on personal vehicles. Learn more.
ABOUT VIRIDI Viridi is transforming energy storage with its proprietary fail-safe lithium-ion battery technology. Viridi’s battery energy storage systems (BESS) feature breakthrough anti-propagation technology, preventing propagation and significantly reducing the risk of lithium-ion battery fires. Viridi’s commercial-scale BESS is among the first and only to be installed in an existing, occupied space, setting a new benchmark for safety and reliability. Engineered for seamless integration into virtually any environment, the BESS combines advanced AI and connectivity to deliver unparalleled remote monitoring and energy optimization. Viridi enables clean, scalable energy solutions across industries, paving the way for a safer, more sustainable future. Learn more.
Thanks to everyone who came out for Buffalo Bike to Work Day @ BNMC and joined us for Breakfast in the Pocket Park. It was great to see you all! What a fun and energizing start to the day! Special thanks go to GOBike, Reddy Bikeshare, Independent Health, NFTA, Unapolegitic Coffee, and Evolve Fitness, who joined to celebrate with us.
For lunch, we enjoyed a lunchtime ride to @GOBike over on Broadway. Here are a few photos of the events. We can’t wait to do it again next year!
March is National Nutrition Month, and this is the third year of this unique restaurant week in Buffalo which will run from March 24-30, offering a variety of ways to discover how eating out can, in fact, be a healthy experience.
Menu items have been analyzed by a registered dietitian to meet Healthy Options standards for calories, fat, saturated fat, and sodium.
The week kicks off on Monday, March 24 with the Taste of Health from 6-8 p.m. at the Northland Workforce Training Center (683 Northland Ave., Buffalo, N.Y. 14211). The free community event features samples of Healthy Options menu items from participating restaurants along with live cooking demonstrations, a book signing, health screenings, and education.
“As research continues to show evidence of the impact of food and diet on health outcomes, we are proud to work with community-based partners, like the Independent Health Foundation, to create educational resources about, and access to, nutritious meal options,” said Beth Machnica, Director of Health & Well-Being for the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. “We hope Healthy Options Restaurant Week serves as a catalyst for Western New Yorkers to learn that it is possible to nourish yourself with tasty, healthy food and enjoy local restaurants.”
Participating restaurants include (menu items subject to change):
All are welcome to a full year of wellness programs.
BNMC’s Health and Well-Being team announced a full schedule of programs for all to enjoy this year. There will be an array of fitness classes, cooking demonstrations, guided walks, workshops, and more.
Beginning this month, and continuing throughout the year, fitness classes will take place every Wednesday from 5 – 6 pm at the Innovation Center at 640 Ellicott. Sessions include yoga, a fitness boot camp, dance therapy, and cross-training. Once spring arrives, classes will move outside to the Pocket Park at 589 Ellicott.
The team will also host a series of workshops focused on nutrition, mental health, cooking demonstrations, and guided walks on Campus throughout the summer months. Workshops are monthly from 12 – 1 pm in the Innovation Center.
All programs are free and for everyone, regardless of fitness level or experience. You can download the full calendar here.
Culture. Cuisine. Community: Savoring a Healthy You.
Buffalo, NY – September 2024 – The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) Health & Well-being Department is proud to announce the 4th Annual Food as Medicine Symposium, “Culture. Cuisine. Community: Savoring A Healthy You,” which will take place on October 18th and 19th, 2024, at the University at Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.
This exciting two-day event will bring together renowned national experts alongside local leaders to discuss the most pressing issues in the food-as-medicine movement. With a mission to improve health outcomes, reduce disparities, and advance a more equitable food and healthcare system for all, the symposium promises to inspire meaningful conversations and innovative solutions.
The Food as Medicine Symposium highlights Buffalo’s commitment to fostering health and wellness through food. Attendees will hear from prominent voices in the field, including keynote speaker Benjamin Perkins, MA, MDiv, Founder & CEO of Upstream Impact, Solutions Consulting, LLC, who will deliver a thought-provoking address titled “Love’s Labor Found: A Meditation on Fidelity, Equity, and Dignity in our Work.”
The symposium will cover a broad range of topics, including:
Culinary medicine demonstrations
An urban farm tour featuring “Food is Medicine”
Culturally responsive food interventions
The link between nutrition and mental health
Best practices in culinary medicine
Buffalo’s East Side will be recognized during the opening remarks, and the event will also feature engaging roundtable discussions on innovation in food and health, fireside chats, and practical working sessions. “We’re thrilled to continue growing this annual event,” said Beth Machnica. “This year’s theme reflects our commitment to building a healthier community through culturally relevant and equitable food and healthcare systems. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, an entrepreneur, or someone passionate about the intersection of food and health, there will be something for you.”
The full schedule and further details are available at www.BNMC.org.
Date: October 18-19, 2024 Location: University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
About Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus For more than twenty years, The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus organization (BNMC) has been a driving force of Buffalo’s economic renaissance. Throughout its management of the growth of Buffalo’s premier innovation district, the BNMC has foregrounded smart economic, social, and environmental development, prioritizing health & well-being and sustainability. Today, the BNMC is focused on the next phase of Buffalo’s ongoing resurgence, cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our community, and launching the IC Success (Innovation Community Success) program to support aspiring entrepreneurs from all backgrounds to help them start or grow a business. Program graduates will form the heart of Buffalo’s growing Innovation Community comprised of businesses large and small in an array of disciplines leading the region’s next wave of economic development and growth. www.bnmc.org
Thanks to everyone who joined us for BNMC’s recent Happy Hour By Train event! It was so nice to welcome all of you, especially those trying transit for the first time. We met at Allen Street Metro Station and took a quick train ride to happy hour at Fattey Beer Co. downtown. Our train group was matched with a driver who left at the same time in a car. Guess who got to Happy Hour first? Of course, it was the crew who took transit.
Here are some photos from the event. We can’t wait to do it again! To learn more about transit, and the incentives available to everyone who works on the BNMC, visit BNMC Transportation.
As part of our ongoing work in the growing discipline of Food as Medicine and thanks to a generous grant from the HighMark BlueCross BlueShield Fund, BNMC has launched a Food as Medicine centered “40 Days to Wellness” program to take place on the campus beginning in August. The project will be done in collaboration with partners at Kaleida Health, Roswell Park, Urban Fruits and Veggies, Osteria 166, the Mindful Institute, Queen City Couriers, DietID, and the University at Buffalo.
We are currently recruiting chronically sick and stressed healthcare workers and neighborhood residents to participate. Throughout the 40-day program, qualified participants will receive medically tailored meals, along with hands-on nutrition education, mindfulness training, and dietitian guidance to develop healthier lifestyle habits and improve quality of life.
The program aims to help participants build sustainable healthy living habits, improve health and quality of life indicators, and reduce healthcare service utilization.
Thanks to everyone who braved the elements and joined us for BNMC Bike to Work Day yesterday! We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast by Unapologetic Coffee, followed by an energizing workout with Evolve Fitness. By lunchtime, the sun was out and we joined our friends at GoBike for a ride to their HQ over at 313 Broadway.
Kudos to the University at Buffalo who had the most riders bike to work yesterday. Go UB!
As always, our photographer Pat Cray (@yungpainkiller), was on hand to capture some wonderful images of the day.
Special thanks to our partners at GO Buffalo Niagara.
The Independent Health Foundation is hosting Healthy Options Restaurant Week, which runs March 4 – 10.
Restaurants across Western New York are taking part in this week’s event.
Select menu items at participating restaurants have been analyzed by a registered dietitian from the Independent Health Foundation to meet Healthy Options standards for calories, fat, saturated fat, and sodium.
“For two decades, the Healthy Options Buffalo program has helped the community make informed choices about healthy eating and we’re excited to once again highlight that work through Healthy Options Restaurant Week,” said Carrie Meyer, executive director of the Independent Health Foundation. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for families to try a healthy spin on their favorite foods – like grilled cheese, burgers, and pizza. We hope it will show people there’s no need to sacrifice flavor and fun when dining out.”
Participating restaurants include Avenue 29 Foods, Bratts Hill, Buffalo Plant Veggie Burgers, Carine’s Caribbean Cuisine, CEOKitchen, The Cheesy Chick, Fresh Catch Poke, Giacobbi’s Cucina Citta, Green Eats Kitchen and Juice Bar, Mario’s Bistro and Brews, Mister Pizza Elmwood, New Jewel of India, Sto Lat Bar, Sunshine Vegan Eats, and Undergrounds Coffee House & Roastery.
“As research continues to show evidence of the impact of food and diet on health outcomes, we are proud to work with community-based partners, like the Independent Health Foundation, to create educational resources about, and access to, nutritious meal options,” said Beth Machnica, director of Health & Well-Being for the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. “We hope Healthy Options Restaurant Week serves as a catalyst for Western New Yorkers to learn that it is possible to nourish yourself with tasty, healthy food and enjoy local restaurants.”
Calling all restaurants! Share your healthy food with our community!
The Independent Health Foundation, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Appetit, and the Buffalo Urban League are excited to bring Healthy Options Restaurant Week to Buffalo! This spring, we
are encouraging our community to visit new restaurants and taste all the healthy food that Western New York has to offer.
Each vendor will be asked to serve one “Healthy Option” menu item, including an appetizer,
entree, and an optional dessert. If you don’t currently offer a healthy option, we will work with you to find an option that fits your menu! The Healthy Options Restaurant Week runs from Monday, March 4 to Sunday, March 10.
More information can be found here, and at the Healthy Options Website here. You can also email info@healthyoptionsbuffalo.com.
Today the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) shared its final report to the US Department of Agriculture on a multi-year Farm to Hospital project. Nine years ago, BNMC brought partners Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and Kaleida Health together with a shared vision for what a culture of fresh, healthy, local foods in healthcare systems could look like. To advance this vision, BNMC applied for and received three rounds of grant funding from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Together the partners worked to:
update institutional procurement and vending contracts,
implement a Harvest of the Month campaign,
host three Food as Medicine Symposia,
develop the WNY Food as Medicine Coalition,
install five new Farmhouse Fridges across campus.
As a direct result of their efforts, local procurement at Campus hospitals has increased by 333%. This matters, because for every dollar spent on local procurement (small to midsize farms, aggregators & distributors operated by our neighbors), 75-85 cents stays in the local economy when compared to conventionally sourced produce (largescale corporate food chain) where the revenue share to localfarmers hovers around 14.9 cents. More data highlights are included on page 14 of the report.
The increase in local procurement meant that 42 local farmer entrepreneurs directly benefitted from the effort and grew their businesses. A further 10 local producers were able to expand their ability to sell into healthcare food systems by becoming USDA-certified in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). Several other local businesses in processing and procurement also benefitted greatly from this work.
While the impact on local entrepreneurs in our healthcare food system is significant, campus hospitals have been able to greatly improve the quality of their procurement practices for the benefit of patient and visitor health. With new policies and operations templates in place, these practices will continue to grow well into the future.
You can read a full copy of the report here. Meet the partners, growers, and distributors in a short video here.
About Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus
For more than twenty years, The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus organization (BNMC) has been a driving force in Buffalo’s economic renaissance. Throughout its management of the growth of Buffalo’s premier innovation district, the BNMC has foregrounded smart economic, social, and environmental development, prioritizing health & well-being and sustainability. Today, the BNMC is focused on the next phase of Buffalo’s ongoing resurgence, cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our community, and launching the IC Success (Innovation Community Success) program to support aspiring entrepreneurs from all backgrounds to help them start or grow a business. Program graduates will form the heart of Buffalo’s growing Innovation Community comprised of businesses large and small in an array of disciplines leading the region’s next wave of economic development and growth. www.bnmc.org
Buffalo, NY – BNMC is pleased to announce the upcoming Food as Medicine Symposium, “Transformative Practices for Health.” The symposium will take place on September 27th and 28th, 2023 at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo. The school is located at 955 Main Street.
This two-day event aims to bring together national and local speakers to facilitate discussions and workshops centered around value-based practices. This year’s symposium will focus on the food industry, food equity, and lifestyle medicine. Additionally, the event will highlight partners’ food and nutrition practices rooted in integrity, accountability, and transparency, which are contributing to meaningful and sustainable change in clinical and population health outcomes.
The agenda for the 2023 symposium includes a range of activities designed both for community members and healthcare professionals.
On Day 1, participants will have the option to choose between two workshops. The first workshop, led by Registered Dietitian Rachel Laster and Rhonda Wilson of Buffalo Black Nurses, will offer a cooking demonstration for the general public, showcasing how to incorporate food as medicine in daily life. The second workshop, facilitated by Dr. Ted Barnett of the Rochester Lifestyle Medicine Institute, is tailored for clinicians and members of the healthcare team, focusing on integrating food as medicine, and whole-food plant-based nutrition, into their practice.
Day 2 of the symposium will feature a morning keynote address on food equity by Dr. Angela Odoms Young from Cornell University’s College of Human Ecology. This will be followed by a panel discussion on food equity, exploring how stakeholders outside the food system can advance health and food equity through food as medicine programs. The afternoon keynote by Chef Dr. Robert Graham of Fresh Medicine NYC will delve into the field of lifestyle medicine, followed by a panel discussion highlighting best practice models for lifestyle medicine and culinary medicine programs.
The symposium will conclude with a panel discussion featuring representatives from the private food sector, examining their contributions to health outcomes, sustainability, and profit within the complex landscape of nutrition and health.
To learn more and register, visit: https://bnmc.org/health-and-wellbeing/.
BNMC is happy to offer discounted tickets for non-profits with this code FAMNP2023 and FREE tickets for students with this code FAMSTU2023.
This year’s symposium is generously sponsored by the Jacobs School and the School of Public Health and Public Health Professions at UB.
About Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus
For more than twenty years, The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus organization (BNMC) has been a driving force in Buffalo’s economic renaissance. Throughout its management of the growth of Buffalo’s premier innovation district, the BNMC has foregrounded smart economic, social, and environmental development, prioritizing health & well-being and sustainability. Today, the BNMC is focused on the next phase of Buffalo’s ongoing resurgence, cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our community. BNMC launched its flagship program, IC Success in 2021 to provide support to aspiring entrepreneurs from all backgrounds to help them start or grow a business. Program graduates form the heart of Buffalo’s growing Innovation Community comprised of businesses large and small in an array of disciplines and leading the region’s next wave of economic development and growth. BNMC www.bnmc.org.
BUFFALO NY– On October 13, the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus’ Health & Well-Being division presented its second annual Food as Medicine Symposium, bringing together a range of national and local pioneers in the field to discuss research and policy in the Food as Medicine space. The Keynote address “Food as Medicine: Dietary Priorities and Policy Actions After the White House Conference,” was presented by Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, Dean of Policy at Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. The symposium was held at the UB Center for Bioinformatics and Life Sciences at 701 Ellicott Street in Buffalo. More information about the event can be found here.
BNMC and its partner institutions have been a driving force in a campus-wide effort to improve access to healthy food in hospitals and the surrounding community, collaborating with Kaleida Health, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, and other medical facilities on the Campus. Together, they have implemented the Farm to Hospital program which has connected local farmers and growers to food procurement systems at area hospitals. This program has allowed BNMC partners to serve healthy, locally sourced food to the tens of thousands of patients and visitors that rely on campus resources each year while also benefitting local farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs.
More recently, the BNMC has spearheaded the formation of the Western New York Food as Medicine Coalition, a group that brings more than 40 partners together to share best practices and expand and accelerate the impact of Food as Medicine programs on advancing health in our region.
Elizabeth (Beth) Machnica, Director of Community Well-Being at BNMC said, “Food is undoubtedly a major factor in the determination of medical outcomes, decades of research have shown us this. What we are missing is a broader awareness of the concept and the movement. Our symposium is open to all that would like to learn more and join us in discovering the latest developments and innovations to engage and empower our communities to evaluate the relationships between diet, medical outcomes, and overall health and well-being.”
Conference organizer and BNMC Associate Director of Health and Well-Being Marla Guarino added “The food as medicine discipline is growing and gaining momentum in the United States, at the BNMC we want to ensure our campus and community are at the forefront of innovation and leadership in the field. This is important for our city which has been, and still is, home to food inequities in our communities. Our symposium will spotlight that and point us toward how we can make meaningful change.”
About Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus
For more than twenty years, The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus organization (BNMC) has been a driving force in Buffalo’s economic renaissance. Throughout its management of the growth of Buffalo’s premier innovation district, the BNMC has foregrounded smart economic, social, and environmental development, prioritizing health & well-being, and sustainability. Today, the BNMC is focused on the next phase of Buffalo’s ongoing resurgence, cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our community. In 2021 BNMC spearheaded the initiative to bring the national programs EforAll and Eforever to Buffalo. These proven programs support aspiring entrepreneurs from all backgrounds to help them start or grow a business. Program graduates will form the heart of Buffalo’s growing Innovation Community comprised of businesses large and small in an array of disciplines and leading the region’s next wave of economic development and growth. BNMC www.bnmc.org.
Welcome to summer 2021! After everything we have been through this past year, we are delighted to invite you to join our BNMC Summer of Wellness, our healthy, fun program of events and hwp-contentenings that will help all of us reinvigorate and recharge. We have an array of events that will allow us to safely gather together to bike, walk, or practice restorative yoga. Join us for one, for some, or for all. These programs are open FREE to all who live and work in our community and on our campus. They will be safely socially distant, and facemasks are recommended. You can register for everything here. Here’s what’s on the schedule this year:
Being able to enjoy the outdoors – walking, exercising, getting fresh air – is an important part of living a healthy, hwp-contenty life. With limited park space in our area, and the need to still stay safely socially distant from one another, we’re rethinking how we use our streets. For our first-ever Open Streets event, we will be closing Washington Street between Carlton and High Streets to traffic and we’ll use the space for healthy activities, starting off with a Bike to Work Day breakfast for anyone who rides their bike to the event. Breakfast for the first 50 riders will be FREE.
There will be many healthy fun activities until 2 pm. You can register for them here.
We’ll have food trucks, D.J.s, and giveaways too!
Masks and social distancing will be required to ensure a healthy and safe event for everyone!
Every Monday in November Beginning Nov. 2nd from 8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
The BNMC Healthy Communities team presents Meditation Mondays, a 30-minute live guided meditation each Monday morning from 8:30 – 9:00 am in November. Each week has its own theme to provide focus, purpose, and intention. All participants will receive recordings of each session and an e-book to guide their own meditation practice once the series has concluded. Meditations are being guided by Amiyah King and Jasir Ali, full bios in our Facebook Events page. Register on our Medical Campus Wellness Events Public Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2243130692613771
BNMC Shifts Existing Grant Funding to Support Efforts of Farmers, Not-for-Profit Organizations, and Small Distributors to Increase Capacity of Local Food Supply Chain During Pandemic
Projects Support the Longer-Term Goal of Improving Access to Institutional Procurement
BUFFALO, NY—The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) has partnered with four local organizations to support projects that will increase the food system resiliency in our community. A total of $20,000 has been distributed to local partners to support the production and distribution of local foods, as well as the sustainability and growth of small farms and distribution businesses that may be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funding has been made available through “BNMC Fresh: Farm to Hospital Implementation,” an existing three-year grant that the BNMC received in 2018 through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Local Food Promotion Program.
This collaborative initiative is designed to create a model that prioritizes local agriculture from New York State, enabling farms to access new markets (hospitals), and can be replicated across the state. The initiative is expected to create a culture that embraces local farms through prioritizing local procurement; establishes and expands community supported agriculture (CSA) and farmers’ market programs; establishes food chain transparency; increases awareness and knowledge among consumers of local food procurement efforts; and provides knowledge and skill-building opportunities to agribusiness stakeholders (farmers, distributor, food service teams). This project ultimately aims to make local procurement a regular practice and culture among health care institutions.
“Our grant manager at USDA was very understanding about our efforts to increase healthy local foods in hospitals slowing as our health care partners shift their full attention to caring for our community during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Marla Guarino, BNMC’s Farm to Institution Program Coordinator “We were able to redistribute the funds originally earmarked for conferences, travel, and longer-term strategies that are currently on hold, and expand the scope of the initiative to have a more immediate impact on making our local food system more resilient.”
Guarino added, “Implementing these short-term wins more quickly supports the overall goal of the grant – increasing the ability of small farmers and organizations to play a role in institutional procurement, such as hospitals, colleges and universities, prisons, and school districts.”
In order to support the local food chain supply quickly during the pandemic, the BNMC team looked to extend projects with existing partner organizations, primarily focusing on infrastructure capital improvement; equipment; and data enhancement. Priority was given to projects that were able to be completed within 4-6 months; collaborative efforts; minority and women-led; and infrastructure moving toward institutional procurement in the future. All final decisions required wp-contentroval from the BNMC USDA grants manager.
The team worked with the USDA in April for wp-contentroval to redirect funding, and identified the priority projects with partner organizations in May. All organizations received the funding over the summer and are well on their way to enacting change.
The following four organizations each received $5,000:
St. John’s Baptist Church, God’s Farm’acy Mobile Truck
God’s Farm’acy is a mobile food truck and raised garden initiative that distributes hot meals, fruits, and vegetables for free throughout the Fruit Belt and other underserved communities. The team at St. John’s also uses the truck to offer healthy cooking classes in the community. They used the funds to add refrigeration to the mobile food truck, allowing them to help eliminate food desserts by increasing access to fresh foods and nutrition information. Received: Funds toward refrigeration for Mobile Truck
Groundwork Market Garden: Groundwork Market Garden is a family-owned farm on the East Side of Buffalo. GMG received funds to develop and promote a digital catalog of local farm products available for purchase. This digital catalog will be updated regularly and used to secure business with larger institutions that small farms traditionally do not serve. GMG plans to include all local urban growers into the catalog as a way to procure larger contracts and promote local farms. Received: Funds for development of digital catalog, on-line marketplace and marketing support
“These funds are helping to bring our farm up to speed with the current trend for local food to be available through online marketplaces,” said Anders Gunnersen, GMG cofounder. “The online catalog will separate our products by retail and wholesale and will be used as a means to sell produce, and as a marketing tool for our farm to reach more people and institutions in the city of Buffalo and Western NY. This project is going to streamline our sales processes and tracking, and better market our products to a much larger and broader audience.”
Produce Peddlers: Produce Peddlers is an online marketplace for buying and selling produce that prevents food waste and saves money. They received funds to reconfigure its delivery van with a refrigeration unit to increase its ability to deliver fresh and local perishable goods to consumers and businesses in the WNY region. When the COVID-19 pandemic closed many businesses, farmers and other suppliers started to back up on product. In an attempt to help, Produce Peddlers opened its marketplace to individual consumers, who were also looking for alternative avenues to source their food that didn’t involve having to go out in public places. Refrigeration will allow Produce Peddlers to handle more goods safely, be GHP compliant, and streamline its delivery methods. Received: Funds for refrigeration for mobile truck
“The ability to refrigerate our delivery vehicle has propelled our business to new heights!” said Gina Wieczorek, Co-founder, VP Operations, Produce Peddlers. “We are now able to safely transport and deliver all sorts of locally grown and produced food, including animal products, meat and other processed items, to restaurants, schools and institutions all over WNY without breaking the cold chain.”
Urban Fruits & Veggies: Urban Fruits & Veggies is an urban agriculture business with two urban farms and a mobile produce market focused on providing access and nutrition education to underserved communities in the WNY area. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, they are growing three times as much as they usually do to support requests for food delivery, and therefore need additional growing supplies, specifically refrigeration equipment. They also need office equipment to facilitate data tracking and growing partnerships with organizations and established programs to ensure they are addressing the social determinants to health. Received: Funds for computer, laptop and printer
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About the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc.
The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC): re-imagining our city’s future through the dynamic intersection of technology, health, discovery, and collaboration. The BNMC is a social enterprise focused on cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our community. We do this by improving infrastructure, managing our transportation system, creating a culture of health and wellbeing, driving innovation, and working with our partners to continue to build an innovative district that reflects the best of our community. In addition, the BNMC owns and operates more than 150,000 sq ft of incubator space, helping to grow a diverse array of emerging and mature companies through dynamic workspace, programming, and networking. www.bnmc-old.local
Farm-To-Hospital: Fresh, Local Foods Coming to a Cafeteria Near You!
The BNMC’s Farm to Hospital initiative is designed to bring more locally grown and sourced produce, proteins, and other menu items to patients, visitors, and employees across the Medical Campus, in partnership with Kaleida Health and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Benefits of New York State Grown Foods
We all have heard the buzz about local foods. But what does it really mean?
When businesses and institutions buy local it can have remarkable effects on public health, the environment and the local economy. The mere questioning of where food is produced allows us to become more aware of what we put into our bodies. And when the benefits are listed, there seems to be little question of the better option.
Wow, this stuff is tasty! Locally grown food is at optimal freshness, picked at the peak of ripeness and therefore full of flavor. Produce retains more nutrients and is higher in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. With fewer steps between you and the source of your food, contamination is far less likely. As well, local farmers may be using less or no pesticides and herbicides, which is healthier for the body especially for those who are immunocompromised.
In Western New York we love our green spaces and blue waters. And, our “City of Good Neighbors” nature can extend to helping the environment too. Eating more local foods reduces C02 emissions through less food miles travelled, helping with overall climate change. When our producers operate well-managed farms it help protect the naturally rich ecosystem by conserving our fertile soil and fresh water from Lake Erie, as well as sequestering carbon from the atmosphere. Buying local protects our amazing natural resources for future generations to enjoy.
Money helps too! Choosing local supports OUR farmers. More dollars stay within the local economy and provide the security producers need to continue in this rewarding yet challenging work. We should all be proud. New York State ranks nationally for its top agricultural products such as wp-contentles, maple syrup and pumpkins. We are third in the nation for our dairy, wine & grapes, cabbage, cauliflower and fourth for tart cherries, fresh market sweet corn, squash, pears. Here in Western New York we are surrounded by rural farmland and in the past decade, urban farming in Buffalo has become a mainstay and hydroponic farms provide offerings throughout the year.
Grant-Funded Program Increases Access to Healthy, Local Foods in Hospitals
In 2018, the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) was one of 44 organizations nationwide and one of just four organizations in New York State to receive a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture Local Food Promotion Program to help create a culture of healthy food practices and increase local food procurement. “BNMC Fresh: Farm to Hospital Implementation” works to prioritize local agriculture within hospitals and enables farms to access new markets such as health care institutions.
Our Partners’ Role
From the beginning of BNMC’s commitment to supporting local agriculture, the food services teams at both Roswell and Kaleida Health have been leading the charge. Devoted to providing the healthiest options, Roswell Park’s Director of Nutrition and Food Services Chris Dibble had this to say, “The culinary team at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center strives to procure and utilize local produce whenever possible. Our Farm to Table program not only supports local farmers, but also provides benefits to our patients and visitors. Eating fruits and vegetables closest to their harvest times is always ideal because they are most nutritious at that point.”
RPCCC has encouraged their employees to take part in Community Supported Agriculture programs, extending these benefits to home dinner tables. Their team has travelled to learn more about what other hospitals are doing to support regional local food systems.
Similarly, since the start of this initiative at Kaleida, Metz Culinary has worked with the BNMC team to build on their promise of healthy offerings as well as providing helpful information on where they are sourcing their foods from and the benefits of farm fresh local foods.
“Metz’s commitment to procuring locally grown and sourced produce and meats aligns well with Kaleida Health’s commitment to advancing the health of our community,” said Hank Cole, director of Rehabilitation Medicine and Ambulatory Clinics at Buffalo General Medical Center. “Through Metz, we’re able to provide our patients, residents, employees and guests with healthy meal options, made with the freshest ingredients, while also supporting our local farmers. It’s a win-win situation. “
Kaleida and Metz are launching a Farm to Hospital campaign to share information on fruits and veggies they use in their menu as well as introducing the producers. Recently they featured a pop-up Farmer’s Market in the cafeteria, which is a fun way of getting these veggies out into homes.
Stay Tuned!
The BNMC team are proud to showcase the hard work of our food service teams and our local farmers and are hwp-contenty to help provide the healthiest – and tastiest! – culinary offerings out there. Throughout the upcoming year, our Farm to Hospital team will provide employees, patients and visitors with BNMC Farm-to-Hospital Implementation information about featured local produce, as well as introducing the amazing farmers behind the products. Keep your eyes out for the latest informational messages coming your way. And enjoy the tastes of the season!
Many thanks to all of you for helping ensure a safe and delicious Food Truck Rodeo this summer. We will be wrwp-contenting up the FTR at Washington & Carlton this season on Friday, October 2nd. We look forward to seeing everyone back again next year!
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Previous post:
Having our favorite food trucks on the Campus have provided some sense of normalcy – and delicious food offerings! – this summer. We are so hwp-contenty that our daily food truck rodeo continues to draw employees in a safe & physically distant way. For those of you planning to stop by the food trucks on the Medical Campus, please note the following changes to ensure we are able to keep this Rodeo going well into the fall.
Food Truck Rodeo Details:
Please wear a mask and practice physical distancing.
Only 4 trucks are allowed daily to provide enough room.
Unfortunately, there will not be any outdoor seating. Food trucks will package all food to go. Please do not linger on the lawn after getting your food.
Please be respectful.
Despite these precautions, we are looking forward to another wonderful 2020 season. Thank you for supporting our local food trucks!
Check out how the Ognomy sleep apnea telemedicine wp-content went from dream to wp-content MVP in 4 months through on-demand talent. Read Topcoder’s blog on the process. Watch the Ognomy video.
When Dr. Dan Rifkin had an idea to transform the sleep medicine industry using telemedicine, he knew who to call. His company, Sleep Medicine Centers of WNY was one of the first companies to locate in the Innovation Center nearly 10 years ago, and he has known Matt Enstice, BNMC CEO, for a number of years.
“I reached out to Matt to get his feedback, and he immediately jumped into action,” said Dan Rifkin, M.D., Medical Director of Sleep Medical Centers of WNY. “I wanted to transform my business, and he gave me the tools to do so.”
Matt connected Dan to Sam Marrazzo, BNMC’s Chief Innovation Officer. Sam’s niche is helping companies – any company, regardless of industry – innovate from within.
“Our goal is to connect people with ideas to a quick but thorough process using agile innovation that can create the platform for a solution that minimizes investment and risk in the marketplace,” according to Marrazzo. “We take your domain knowledge and bring connections and ideas to move your initiative along quickly. We use novel methods to solve problems and deliver solutions at a rapid pace, allowing you to prototype prior to building a final product, saving time and money. If the idea is not going to work, we want to fail fast and move along to the next idea. Through this wp-contentroach, we are changing industries by cultivating people and ideas, much like we did with Dan and sleep apnea.”
Marrazzo pulled together an innovation team from across the country, including the International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State, who helped hone in the idea and its unique business proposition, along with the UB School of Business MIS Department students and professors to help with requirements and overall implementation strategy.
He also engaged BNMC partner Topcoder, an international technology platform connecting companies to top talent. Marrazzo has worked with Topcoder for more than a decade, including bringing 200+ technology superstars to Buffalo in 2017 for its international conference. With the combination of Topcoder, UB, and BNMC’s Innovation team, we were able to develop a solution within budget and timeline that met the needs of Dan’s team.
“Within three months, we went from idea to implementation,” explained Rifkin. “It would have taken me years to get this far on my own. The connections that Sam, Matt and their team made for me are going to disrupt not only my industry, but other health disciplines as well.”
The team developed a telemedicine wp-content that incorporates practice automation and allows diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea to be done via a mobile wp-content—all in the comfort of a patient’s home. Typically, patients need to spend the night in a sleep center, hooked up to monitors in an unfamiliar room and setting. Now, with advances in diagnostic technologies, Rifkin is able to ship the equipment directly to a patient’s home and monitor them in their own environment, increasing access and ease of diagnosis.
Rifkin is now looking at other disciplines that follow similar platforms, such as cardiology, to see how they might benefit from this technology.
Weekly Webinars in June with Innovation Center Tenant Lindsay Amico from Picture Perfect Mind LLC
The BNMC is excited to announce a free virtual Stress Reduction Series with Lindsay Amico, founder of Picture Perfect Mind LLC. In these uncertain times, many of us are feeling anxious and overwhelmed, and are looking for an outlet to help manage all the added stress we’re experiencing.
Join us for our June webinar series every Tuesday at 2pm via Zoom to discuss topics including: stress awareness and your biological make up, thought management, mindfulness, goal setting, and more. Let’s end the stigma against mental health!
WEBINAR DESCRIPTIONS & SIGN UP
Part 1: Awareness: How is Stress Showing Up For Us? ?
Tuesday, June 2nd at 2pm
In our opening webinar, we’ll discuss awareness and begin to identify where stress currently exists for us. We’ll understand the long-term effects of stress and how it is an important part of our biological makeup. Participants will learn helpful tools to drop into the present moment and reduce stress in 5 minutes or less. Each participant will be emailed a workbook for this session.
Part 2: Perception: How Do Our Thoughts Affect Our Reality? ?
Tuesday, June 9th at 2pm
In the second part of our four-part series, we’ll discuss how to bring awareness to our current thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. Participants will learn a simple thought management model as well as how to identify when their judgmental mind arises. The goal of this webinar is to learn that we are not our thoughts and we can always choose again. Each participant will be emailed a workbook for this session.
Part 3: Dropping Into the Present Moment: Tools to Tune Into Body and Mind ??♀️
Tuesday, June 16th at 2pm
For our third week, we’ll learn more about mindfulness and what it means for the busy professional. You’ll experience various exercises to explore mindfulness and how it can create space in your life. Tools include a body scan, meditation, visualization, and deep breathing techniques. Participants will be emailed a workbook for this session.
Part 4: Habit Creation: Stress Reduction as a Lifestyle ✅ Tuesday, June 23rd at 2pm
Congratulations! You’ve made it to week four of the series. In this webinar, we’ll discuss how to implement everything we’ve learned over the past three weeks into our day to day lives. Participants will learn how to create a personal stress reduction commitment and how to achieve realistic goals in life. We’ll share what our biggest epiphanies and challenges have been and where we see ourselves going from here. Participants will receive a workbook via email for this session.
Lindsay Amico is a Mindset Coach in Buffalo NY. Her business, Picture Perfect Mind LLC, focuses specifically on helping people to feel better on a day to day basis with mindfulness, motivational and thought management tools. With an wp-contentroach the goes beyond stress reduction, Lindsay provides people with the tools to release limiting beliefs and connect to their true purpose.
